In any profession, there are always the good and the bad. To judge everyone connected with a profession based on the ones who are bad....doesn't work. If that were true, no one would go to a doctor or ever use a lawyer or buy chicken. If someone chooses to support a ministry who ends up burning through those offerings for personal gain before consulting with God, they've no one to blame but themselves. I support Joseph Prince from Singapore who teaches love and grace, not judgement. Therefore, I refuse to judge someone else's ministry, lifestyle or choices. It's not my circus.
When I was in Bible College, one of the topics for discussion in one of my classes was a statement that Robert Schuller, who founded the Crystal Cathedral, made a statement that suggested to people who couldn't afford to contribute at least a thousand dollars that they should probably use their money to meet their own needs rather than sending in a hundred dollars, or twenty dollars. He was criticized by some for suggesting that only the rich were worthy of contributing to the Crystal Cathedral, and he did sort of have the reputation of ministering to the rich. But the other side of the story was that those who could afford to donate thousands of dollars were doing so without depriving themselves or their families and that the Crystal Cathedral was no so much in need of money that someone who doesn't have that kind of money should deprive himself or his family. Many years later, the Crystal Cathedral filed for bankruptcy protection.
I totally agree with you about this tragedy , @Beth Gallagher . As a Christian, it distresses me to see people that use the guise of religion to make money, and even worse when they are taking it from poor and elderly adults. My mother fell into this trap. Even though she and my dad lived very meager lives with only a small SS income, whenever she received the letter from some evangelist claiming that he needed funds to build a church or an orphanage in some remote village somewhere in the world, she sent money. The Bible says that God looks at men’s hearts, and I think that he is not going to look very fondly on those people who acquired riches that were basically scammed from devoted Christians like my folks were .
Here’s a good example of what a fairly rich church can do....... https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=...t&qpvt=church+pays+off+medical+debt&FORM=EWRE
The Crystal Cathedral went down-hill due to not making payments to vendors, like ones that supplied animals and other things to the two major programs that were put on there...….The Glory of Christmas and The Glory of Easter. We went to both programs and they were great. Rev. Schuller's family were given tax breaks. Schuller not only lost his beloved church, when he passed, his funeral wasn't nearly as big as many would think it would've been. Schuller knew Dignitaries from all over the world, but. Actually, his church was listed on Best Tourist Places in Southern California. He even had his own tv church service called The Hour of Power that was shown "live" on Sunday morning. I don't know if the celebrities he had in his Sunday morning service were paid or not, but it seemed like every Sunday AM he had someone sitting by the pulpit that was famous-to-very famous. Rev. Schuller also had family problems when he gave his church over to his son. His son was replaced by his daughter and now his grandson runs a Service in an old movie theater in Orange County. Mega church maintenance, salaries, holiday programs and tv cost money. The Crystal Cathedral is now owned/operated by the Catholic Church.
I'm glad this went in the direction I hoped for. Focus on the wealth of some successful leaders not religion. I wouldn't expect the kind of selfless dedication that Mother Teresa was noted for but to accumulate the kind of wealth & life some lead just doesn't seem right.
The people named are mostly television celebrities who have become successful in the religion genre of the entertainment business.
My Grandfather was a pentecostal pastor for around 40 years and held to the idea that he stood little chance if any of going to heaven if he was wealthy. Yes, it’s a misinterpretation of the “camel through the eye of a needle” quote but still, he was dirt poor and preferred to stay that way. Money will change people, All people, no matter what vocation or belief system one might employ. Some for the better and some for the worse.
The only problem I have is all churches should be taxed. Have all the property they want and accumulate great wealth, but just pay taxes on it. I will include all organizations in this. There should be no tax free status.